KIM MOVES OUT

S4;E20
~ January 24, 1972

Directed
by Coby Ruskin ~ Written by Bob Carroll Jr. and Madelyn Davis

Synopsis

Lucy
is concerned when Kim is dating a bearded writer (Tim Matheson).
Deciding she’s tired of her mother’s hovering, Kim moves into a
nearby apartment above a garage. Of course, Lucy can’t help being a
‘helicopter’ mother and visits her daughter at every opportunity.  

Regular
Cast

Lucille
Ball (Lucy
Carter), Gale
Gordon (Harrison
Otis Carter), Lucie
Arnaz (Kim
Carter)

Guest
Cast

Tim
Matheson
(Peter Sullivan) began acting on screen when he was just 14 years
old. He is probably best known as Eric Stratton in the 1978 film
Animal House,
although he also received two Emmy nominations for his work on “The
West Wing” (1999-2006). Matheson first worked with Lucille Ball in
the film Yours,
Mine and Ours
(1968, inset photo) where he played her step-son Mike. It was then that he also
met his first wife, Jennifer Leak, who played Lucy’s daughter Colleen
in the film.

Peter’s
father is a doctor. He hopes to become a writer. He plays piano.

In a fit of anger, Lucy calls him a “fuzzy-faced pencil pusher”!

This
is one of two episodes where Kim’s name is in the title, while Lucy’s
is not. This is part of the ill-fated attempt to spin the character
off into her own series at the end of season 4.

The
day this episode originally aired, actor James
Cowan died
at age 74. Cowan
had
appeared with Lucille Ball in The
Fuller Brush Girl (1950) and Critic’s Choice (1963). He appeared on “The
Lucy Show” in
1966
and as Mr. Gary in “Lucy the Crusader” (S3;E5, above) in 1970.

Lucy says that Kim wants to be a teacher and that Craig wants
to be a musician. This is the third mention of Craig in the past
three episodes, after 14 weeks of not hearing anything about him.
This is also the first time we’ve heard that Kim’s career path is to
be a teacher.

Kim
moves over the Thompson’s garage next door to her mother!  

For
a housewarming gift, Uncle Harry brings Kim goldfish named Bertha and
Sam.

Kim
is hoping to be cast by Jack Foley in a college musical revue. Jack
Foley
(1891-1967) was the developer of many sound effects techniques used
in film and TV. To this day, those who work in sound effects
creation are called Foley Artists.  

The zodiac poster that decorates Kim’s closet door was issued in July 1968 by Portal Publications. The artwork is by California artist Jane Oka (inset). Each astrological sign was also available as a separate poster. During her tenure at Portal, Oka also designed Kitchen Charts, Gourmet Guides, and Proverbs, many of which were made into calendars. Her work was seen decorating the bedroom walls on Lucille Ball’s favorite sitcom, “Three’s Company” and were also seen in the 1973 Woody Allen movie, Sleeper. 

When Lucy opens Kim’s overstuffed closet to try to hide, the dress hanging in on the door is one worn by Kaye Ballard in “Lucy and Harry’s Italian Bombshell” (S4;E3) earlier in the season. There are also a few Saks Fifth Avenue hatboxes in storage. These would have been at home in the Ricardo closet in 1955, but seem out of place in the closet of a 20 year-old in 1972!

With her mother stuffed in the chimney hiding, Kim rehearses the song “I Got Love” with Peter playing the piano. The song was written by Gary Geld and Peter Udell for the Broadway musical Purlie (1970) and was introduced by Melba Moore. It was also the title of Moore’s first solo album, on which it also appeared. In her DVD introduction to the episode, Lucie Arnaz remembers singing the song live on the set with just piano accompaniment.

Note: Tim Matheson did not actually play the piano. It was likely Marl Young who generally provided piano accompaniment, sometime on camera. Actually, if you listen closely, there is also a snare drum added in!  

To
teach Lucy a lesson and prolong her stay in the flue, Kim and Harry sing a few hours of old standards. First up
is “Ma,
He’s Making Eyes at Me,”
which was written by Con Conrad and Sidney Clare in 1921 and was
covered by many artists.  

Finally,
Kim and Harry end their punitive jam session with “When
the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob Bob Bobbin’ Along).” 
The
song was previously sung in “Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress” (ILL
S3;E3).
The song’s title was mentioned (but not sung) in “Mertz and Kurtz” (ILL
S4;E2).
Written
in 1926 by Harry Woods, the song was popularized by Al Jolson, with
whom William Frawley (Fred Mertz) had a long-standing rivalry. That
same year (1957) it was recorded by Doris Day, who, coincidentally,
had a television show that followed “Here’s Lucy” on CBS!

Kim
tells Uncle Harry (within earshot of her mother, who is hiding in the
fireplace) that she got a job offer to be a ‘bunny.’ Kim doesn’t say
the words ‘Playboy
Bunny’ but
that is what she is referring to. Bunnies were female staff members at the
Playboy Clubs, which were in business between 1960 and 1988. Based on
Hugh Hefner’s Playboy magazine mascot, they wore
abbreviated costumes that showed off their legs and cleavage while
also featuring rabbit ears and a large fluffy tail. “Here’s Lucy”
has previously made reference to Playboy magazine (above), the bunny costume,
and even top-less waitresses (which the Playboy bunnies were not!)

This
episode is partially inspired by the very first episode of “The
Lucy Show” “Lucy Waits Up For Chris” (TLS S1;E1), in which Lucy
Carmichael waits up for her teenage daughter Chris after her first
date with a boy named Tom, resulting in Lucy getting locked out of
her own home!  

Lucy
Carmichael had trouble saying goodbye to her son Jerry in “Lucy and
the Military Academy” (TLS S2;E10). Although Lucy thought it was
best for him to go away to school, she found she missed him too much
and he came home. Ironically, Jerry eventually was sent away to a
military academy when the Carmichaels moved to California.

Although
“The Lucy Show” featured an episode titled “Viv Moves Out”
(TLS S2;E22) the title is the only thing these two episodes have in common. Lucy Carmichael rented out Viv’s room to a singer and her
drummer son (!) who rehearse loudly at all hours. The plot was
necessitated when Vivian Vance wanted to work less due to her commute
to Connecticut.

The
first part of the episode featuring Lucy not knowing if Kim came home
or stayed out all night, was inspired by “Don
Juan and the Starlets” (ILL S4;E17) in which Lucy Ricardo thinks
Ricky stayed out all night at a premiere. He has an alibi thanks to
an efficient hotel maid.  

FAST FORWARD

In 2006, the HBO series “Lucky Louie” also produced an episode titled “Kim Moves Out”, the series’ finale. In this case, however, the character of Kim is the lead’s wife, not daughter. Coincidentally, the cast also included a character named Lucy and an actress named Kim! 

Ground Plan Goof!  As
usual with TV show apartments, the room above the Thompson’s garage
is unrealistically spacious. It also features a fireplace, something
unlikely to be found in an over-the-garage flat. In addition, Kim’s
new place has a spinet piano, despite the fact that she doesn’t play. Kim will also have a spinet piano in her apartment when she moves to Marina Del Rey in “Kim Finally Cuts You-Know-Whose Apron String” (S4;E24) at the end of the season. 

What Color is Her Parachute? This is the first we hear about Kim wanting to be a teacher. In future episodes, she works as an administrative assistant in an entertainment agency. 

“Kim Moves Out” rates 3 Paper Hearts out of 5

Some nice moments between mother and daughter, but not enough to merit a spin-off, despite the fact that Lucie Arnaz is talented and funny in her own right.  She will get another chance at her own series in 1985, but that show, too, did not catch on with viewers and was cancelled after just six episodes.